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Attributes Of God
by Hilton Rahme
 I don’t know if we will ever have the capacity to know God completely, but if we can begin to understand what He offers to those who choose Him, that wish to obey Him and desire a personal relationship with Him, we would discover a peace and joy unmatched by anything this world could offer us. We would pursue His holy presence with the desperation of a lost child searching for the safety of his father’s embrace.
Once we identify God’s attributes, His personality and characteristics, we will discover that He is not only able to supply our every need, but willing to grant every good desire of our hearts.
Eternal
God’s name, “I AM”, clearly expresses his unconditional and independent existence, and encompasses the idea of his continuous existence because He simply “is”. He has no beginning and no ending. He has no youth, no age – He will never be a senior citizen. Everlasting is not the same as long lasting, which suggests a beginning and demands dealing with time. Time has no hold on God. God’s attributes, such as His love, are eternal. He is the only self-existent Being.
Faithfulness
In Deuteronomy 7:9 God’s instructs us to know Him, “…that He is God, the faithful God, who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments”. God’s faithfulness is a commitment on His part, and is dependable as the scheduled appearance of the sun and the moon - in fact more so, since He has stopped them moving, as we read in Joshua chapter 10. The root meaning of faithfulness (Hebrew ‘emunah) is “certainty” and “dependability.” In 2 Timothy 2:13 God’s Word says that no matter what you do, God cannot be unfaithful because He cannot deny Himself. He is steadfast and trustworthy. He keeps His promises. (Hebrews 10:23)
Good
As we see in Genesis 1:31 God not only does good, He is the originator of good. There is no source of goodness outside of God (Psalm 16:2 & 119:68). When we say God is good it means He is absolutely pure. There is not even a hint of evil or even neutrality. To call Him less than good is to call Him less than God. In Matthew 19:17 Jesus defines goodness in one word – God. God’s goodness gives hope (Psalm 27:13), leads to repentance (Romans 2:4) and produces thankfulness (Psalm 136:1).
Holy
The word holy (Hebrew qadosh) means “unique, set apart, unlike all others.” He is not one God among many, He is the One and Only. God’s holiness is a powerful study of contrasts. The “holy, holy, holy” of  the seraphim expresses the superlative unmatched outstanding degree. This not only emphatically separates God from sin, but also emphasizes His righteousness in contrast to our sinfulness. Holiness is not what God does, but who He is. The Lord swears by His holiness (Amos 4:2) and He swears by Himself (Amos 6:8) – they are the same. All of God’s attributes flow out of His holiness. That is why He is incapable of the slightest hint of impurity, unrighteousness or questionable use of power (Genesis 18:25). Two consistent responses spring from those who have seen God’s holiness: the thirst for more (Exodus 33:17-23, Psalm 42:1), and they know with certainty that He is God and they are not (Psalm 100:3).
Immutable
Believers can be sure of God. His character, truth, ways, purposes, love and promises never vary (Isaiah 46:9-11). He has never been less than what He is, nor will He be more (Malachi 3:6). God lacks no ability (Genesis 18:14), He knows everything, controls everything, and is involved in everything (Isaiah 40:11-14). God does nothing partially (Isaiah 41:4), never changes moods (Hebrews 13:8), nor does He cool off in His affections (Jeremiah 31:3) or enthusiasm (Phillipians 1:6). His attitude toward sin is the same as it was in the Garden of Eden, and His love is the same as when He displayed it on the Cross (Romans 5:17). God never alters His plans because they are made with complete knowledge and control (Psalm 33:11). What He does in time He planned in eternity (Isaiah 46:10).
Jealous
Jealousy (Hebrew qin’ah) denotes “zeal, passion, single-mindedness.” God’s jealousy does not covet something that belongs to another but rather preserves something that belongs to Himself. Just as the relationship between a man and his wife is designed to be exclusive, so is the relationship between God and His people (Exodus 34:27). God’s faithfulness is sure, though His people may waver. To be intertwined with the world in heart and life is the worst kind of adultery (James 4:4,5). The consequence of spiritual adultery is a severed relationship with God (Psalm 78:56-60). The teachings of God’s jealousy are given in the context of worship. He alone is God. To worship another is betrayal.  God takes His relationship with His people seriously, and so must they take theirs with Him (Exodus 34:10-16)
The attributes of God discussed here reveal a Holy, eternal God. An unchangeable, absolute God who is jealous of His relationship with us because of His unwavering faithfulness. He is an immutable Father who is perfect, true and patient with us, being slow to anger, making available the opportunity for repentance. He is, as Jesus describes Him, a good God. I pray that by reading about some of God’s attributes, you become closer to Him as you meditate on his wonderful nature.
Hilton Rahme
Hilton is Bro. Peter's eldest son and lives in Cape Town, South Africa. He is married to Tanja and they have a beautiful daughter, Dayna, and are expecting a baby boy in September.
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